Chamorro de Cordero En Barbacoa, Spiced Marinated Lamb Shank wrapped and steamed in Banana Leaves, served with Ancho Chile, Garlic, Fresh Onion and Cilantro

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 Ancho Dried Chili Peppers
6 Guajillo Dried Chili Peppers
1 ¼ cup Water
6 Whole Cloves
6 Whole All-Spice
¼ tsp. Cumin Seeds
4 pieces Whole Black Pepper
1 Cinnamon stick, (Mexican Canela or Ceylon variety)
2 tsp. Salt
1 piece Oregano (Mexican variety)
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled
¼ cup Canola oil or Lard
4 Lamb Shanks
4 pieces of foil, cut into 20-inch squares
4 Avocado Leaves
4 Banana leaves, cut into 15-inch squares
½ oz. of chopped White Onion
½ oz. of freshly chopped Cilantro
1 Whole Lime
2 ¼ quarts of chicken broth

Directions

1.Wipe all the dried chili peppers clean with a damp cloth, and remove all stems, veins and seeds
2.In a large skillet, toast the chili peppers, 2 or 3 at a time, until slightly blistered and aromatic, toasting each chili pepper for approximately 10 seconds
3.Place the chili peppers into a pan with the broth as they are toasted. Let the broth slightly boil for about 10 minutes or until soft
4.Put ½ cup of water into a blender, add the garlic cloves, all spice, cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, salt and oregano
5.Blend ingredients until a smooth paste forms, slowly adding in small portions of the dried chili peppers into the remaining water
6.Ensure that you create a thick sauce without letting small pieces of the Guajillo chili pepper coagulate
7.In a large, heavy, deep pot, heat ¼ cup of oil or lard. Add the blended mixture into the pot and let it fry, stirring the ingredients frequently to prevent scorching
8.Let ingredients fry in the oil or lard for 5 minutes, and then allow the sauce to cool down
9.Rub the lamb shanks with the sauce
10.Lay one piece of aluminum foil on a flat surface and lay one banana leaf on the top of the foil
11.Place one rubbed lamb shank and an avocado leaf in the center of the banana leaf and fold the banana leaf to enclose the lamb shank in a package
12.Fold the foil around both sides of the banana package to seal tightly, allowing for no steam to escape
13.Place the folded side up on a baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining three lamb shanks
14.Cook all four lamb shanks in a steamer for one hour, or bake them for 1 ½ hours at 350 °F
15.Open one cooked package to test the readiness of the meat, which should be tender and juicy
16.To serve, open the wrapped packages and transfer each of the lamb shanks with a banana leaf placed on the bottom onto a hot plate
17.To finish, place ½ oz. of chopped white onion, and ½ oz. of freshly chopped cilantro into two mounds on either side of the lamb shank on the plate
18.Cut the whole lime into ½ and place the two wedges on the plate as another garnish for the lamb shank